By Tom Powers
St. Paul Pioneer Press
At last, a dollop of salsa has been added to the ultra-bland Timberwolves menu. Ladies and gentlemen, Rrrrricky Rrrrrubio!
And suddenly it’s not simply about whether the Timberwolves might be fortunate enough to score on any given possession. It’s also about how they might score. It could be off a no-look dish on the break. Or the result of a behind-the-back pass through an opponent’s legs. Heck, there’s no telling how the basketball might get into the hands of an open man.
Rubio will get it there, and we all will be amazed.
Arriba, arriba y lejos!
Bear in mind that we are easy to please. The Wolves have had the double whammy of being bad AND dull. On Wednesday, they were neither.
They beat the Heat 102-101 and, thanks in large part to Rubio’s panache, provided some entertaining moments.
Just in time, too. Minnesota’s victory total is in single digits, and the team has been about as exciting as a tuna sandwich on white bread with a side order of tap water. Watching young players develop is painful. The return of Rubio immediately spices things up. And with Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin having recently returned to the lineup, the team looks much less CBAish.
“Happy to be back playing basketball again. I missed it so much,” Rubio said. “I got to take it easy. And, you know, the ankle is not 100 percent yet. Getting back in rhythm takes time.”
A week after signing a four-year, $56 million contract extension, Rubio suffered a severe ankle injury.
That’s the perfect example of how the Wolves’ season has gone. He missed 42 games before returning to action Monday against the Mavericks in Dallas.
Wednesday against the Miami Heat, Rubio gave the home fans a glimpse of what they have been missing. His minutes are limited as he works his way back into form. But when he is out there, look out! Something entertaining could happen at any second. He throws a jolt into his teammates as well as into the crowd.
His first little stretch of playing time was his best. He recorded five assists during the first 5:30, four of which were of the flashy, crowd-pleasing variety. He also made a basket and had a steal. In those early minutes, there was absolutely no doubt about who was in control of the game.
Rubio could have had at least three more assists during that stretch, but his teammates messed up on their shots. It’s going to take them awhile to get used to the basketball materializing in front of their very eyes.
“We didn’t have a lot of practice lately, and I was out for almost three months,” Rubio said. “I know my game is a little bit different. I just have to get used to my teammates and know where they are at.”
All told, he played 23:28 and recorded nine assists, eight points, two steals and three rebounds.
The Wolves play a different game when he is in there. Even the big palookas under the basket are eager to get out on the break, knowing that Rubio will get them the ball for a layup.
When he sits, everything slows. And despite the best efforts of Mo Williams, a capable backup, the energy level droops palpably. At least, it did Wednesday.
“I told our staff, as coach that’s what’s as frustrating for me as for anybody,” Flip Saunders said. “It’s difficult to almost try to play two different ways. Especially when you have a lot of young guys and you try to integrate those guys. Those guys have an adjustment, and I’m going to have an adjustment to work with, too.
“But, hopefully, what’s going to happen is that Ricky’s minutes are going to extend more and more after the all-star break.”
Rubio’s timing isn’t as sharp as it will be. And the fact that he committed his third foul by early in the second quarter illustrates his rustiness. Yet, when he was out there, nobody had to get on the public-address system and beg and cajole the crowd to make noise. They don’t need the clap-o-meter on the scoreboard. Rubio generates legitimate excitement.
During this long and difficult season, it was easy to forget how much.
The Pioneer Press is a media partner with Forum News Service
